Another Try
by StormOfImagination
Summary: When Emily starts to long for the BAU and her favorite profiler, a late night phone call til the wee hours of the morning may change her life; But for better or worse? ***Rated T for Language*** ****Written for the Chit Chat On The Authors Corner Forum's April Flower Challenge****
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, I finally got my itsy bitsy spider muse back, after much coaxing and some promise of a nice corner to spin a web in. X) I'm writing this for the April Flower Challenge on the Chit Chat on the Author's Corner forum, so here goes nothing. I think I'm going to switch POV's back and forth between Spencer and Emily.**

It was April, the second spring that Emily had spent in England, away from her team, her family, the people she loved the most. Sure, she skyped with them and came down for birthdays and holidays, but it wasn't the same. Blake had replaced her now, bonded with Spencer over his first girlfriend and Aaron over their mutual love of work. The BAU called less and less, and even though the ache was slowly healing, it was sometimes ripped back open by the painful thought that maybe, just maybe, they were forgetting her.

Spencer. He'd met someone now, or he had. According to Garcia, poor Reid had lost his girlfriend to an unsub with a manic obsession over him. The unsub had shot herself and incidentally Spencer's girlfriend as well. Despite her sympathy and sorrow over Spencer's pain, it was like a punch to the chest for Emily. Ever since Hankel, she'd been fighting back this attraction to him that never seemed to be mutual. They'd bonded tightly, and for a moment, Emily thought that there was something there. The flirtatious poker games and the teasing led her to believe that there was sparks flying. But the incident with Doyle and her 'death' had torn the bond between them apart, Spencer feeling betrayed by the fact that she couldn't trust him with that. It made sense that he would move on from her, but it didn't make it any easier on her heart.

Emily toyed with her phone, staring down at the screen. The flip-phone was simple and to the point, no unnecessary apps or buttons. It called and texted, and that's what Emily needed. The thought of Garcia's groan at the thought of the simplicity of a flip phone caused a smile to quirk Emily's lips. The technical analyst was a biggie on recent technology and adored her smart phones. Had Garcia forgotten her? Was she a fond memory of the past now?

And Hotch? She still remembered stepping into his office for the first time, her box of personal belongings balanced on one hip, and her imminent confusion at the fact that her paperwork had been mixed up. Hotch had been quick to dismiss her presence, and the rush of anger was a long-term source of fuel to prove him wrong. They'd grown close through the years she worked there, and she remembered helping him through Haley's loss. He was one of the only two people who knew that she was in Paris during the case with Doyle, and she missed him like a brother.

Emily reluctantly shook herself out of her reverie, standing up to make herself dinner. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was nearly ten. She shook her head with a sigh. Yet another late night sunk in memory lane. Her birthday was coming up in a couple of weeks, but she didn't plan on celebrating, let alone celebrating with anyone other then herself and Sergio, her 'boyfriend.'

Speaking of her dear roommate, he stalked into the kitchen, rubbing his face against Emily's calf with an indignant meow, demanding the attention she had yet to give him this evening. With a amused smile, Emily knelt and picked up her cat, stroking his back as she held him in her arms.

"What'dya think, Serg, think I should go see them again? Think I should spend my birthday down in Quantico?" she asked softly, but as she had expected, her cat simply bumped into her head, expecting more petting. With a shake of her head, she stroked him again. "I know, I know, pet me." she set her cat down on the counter, leaning forward on her elbows and holding her head in her hands.

"Bet they don't miss me. I'm sure they're out catching unsubs with Blake now, and everything is hunky-dory there." Emily mumbled, not sure if she was talking to herself or the cat. "They're having team dinner parties and eating chinese out together on cases. Derek's out with Garcia, Reid is spending time with Alex, JJ is home with Will and Henry, and Hotch is home with Jack and Beth. I'd just stir up old wounds. They wouldn't want to see me there."

But standing there, she couldn't help but pull out her cell and stare at the screen, her background still a simple photo of her and Spencer laughing in a photobooth, one of the few times that they had seen each other outside of the office. They'd spent the day out at the park and ate lunch there, then wandered around the mall, Spencer showing her all of his favorite bookstores. They'd cut the day short regrettably when they'd both been called into the office.

Looking at the picture now, she realized that she couldn't really handle being alone anymore. The long nights after work were becoming less and less about sleep and relaxation and more and more about spending the night curled up on her couch, some TV program playing while she recollected how much she loved her job at the BAU and how much she missed the people there. The job at INTERPOL had been her time to get herself back together, to re-acquiant herself with how it felt to be in her own skin. At the time, she couldn't be sure how long that would take, so she moved and took the job. Now, after spending almost a year and a half here in Britain, she realized she couldn't relax and rejuvenate here. She needed her team, her friends, her family, and everyone who mattered to her was left back in Quantico. She needed Spencer. She pressed 3, putting the phone on speaker and listening to the ringing, the sound grating her nerves. She just wanted to hear him talk to her, to hear he was okay, to hear he still remembered her. She needed to hear him laugh and joke and just talk to her like she was still a part of the states, a part of the team, a part of his life. She hadn't forgotten him or the team, and she spend many nights wondering if they had already forgotten her. She heard the click as the phone picked up, and Spencer's worried voice came through the phone.

"Emily?" he asked, and the concern was evident in his voice. "Are you okay?"

Emily shook her head, despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "Not really." she said quietly, and to her own surprise, she choked up.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, any good so far? I'm not super familiar with writing Emily as an character, so I apologize. I'm a little better with Spencer, so I hope this one will be better... My little spider is chirping away eagerly at me from the top of my monitor, so I'm gonna listen before he bites me and turns me into Spider-woman. X)**

Emily shook her head, despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "Not really." she said quietly, and to her surprise, she choked up.

It wasn't long after work when Spencer found himself curled up on his couch, trying to drown himself in his books, to forget the downhill slope he was tumbling down. He lost Emily twice, once after Doyle, and just when he thought she was back to stay, she disappeared back to INTERPOL in England. And then he thought things were looking up when he found Maeve, but losing her to someone who was after him only made him spiral worse, and brought back dark memories of watching Emily in a very similar situation, only Emily was still alive.

Not realizing what book he had picked up from the stack on his table, he flipped through the pages, reading the words physically but not honestly registering what he was reading until a name stopped him dead; Emily. Frowning slightly, not remembering what he had picked up from the stack, he turned the book over to the front cover, reading the title and the authors name. Just when he was trying to forget Emily and the world that lived outside, trying to just relax and let everything escape from his mind, somehow he had managed to pick up Cat's Cradle, one of his favorite Kurt Vonnegut books. The intense irony that he not only had picked up a Kurt Vonnegut book, but the only book with a character named Emily, forced a sad chuckle to escape from his lips.

Spencer missed Emily with every second, every time he walked past her old desk, which now belonged to Blake, and had the hopeful but crushing thought that maybe he'd see her there, that Emily would be the one doing the paperwork, not Blake. He had nothing against the new older agent, but she was trying too hard to replace Emily, and that was one space that no one could fill but Emily herself. He missed everything about Emily. Her hair, her laugh, the tiny frown that creased her face when she was working hard and got absorbed into the case file or paperwork that had drawn her attention, the perfume she wore day to day that lingered in the room after she left, the joking and gentle teasing banter she exchanged with Morgan, the way she smiled and the playful poker games on the plane rides home.

The loud vibration of his phone on the table in front of him drew him out of his mind, and Spencer glanced at the caller ID, hoping it was someone he could ignore; at the moment, he really didn't feel like talking to anyone or spending the Friday night out at the bar, which he was sure would be the question from Derek or Garcia.

To his surprise, the caller ID read 'Emily Prentiss.' She had refused to change her cell phone when she left, wanting the team to be able to contact her if they needed her. At the time, Spencer had deleted her number in a fit of raging heartbreak, but Garcia had insisted on replacing it once Spencer had calmed down. She had never called him before, so if she was calling, there could only be something going wrong on her side of the world.

"Emily?" he answered, flipping his phone open, his voice concerned. It had been almost a year and a half since she had left, and she only ever skyped or called with the team as a whole on holidays now, so what could cause her to call? "Are you okay?" he continued, sitting upright.

"Not really." Emily's voice came through, unusually quiet and thick, like she was about to cry. The tone in her voice was like a knife in his chest, and he only wanted to take her away from whatever was hurting her until she was alright again. She was never an emotional person, so to see Emily like this, with her guard down, meant that something was going very wrong.

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked gently, knowing that now wasn't the time to be upset with her about never calling. Right now, Emily needed his help with whatever was bothering her and that was what was important at the moment. "Are you hurt?"

There was a pause from Emily before she answered. "No." she said quietly, but despite the fact that her voice was controlled, there was still emotion running thick through her voice. "I just hadn't talked to you guys in a while, and I miss you all, so I thought I'd call, see how everyone is doing and how Blake is settling in."

Spencer frowned slightly. Something was off about Emily; she almost never made small talk. If she called, she called for a reason, and this wasn't it. "Emily, what's going on?" he asked gently. "It's obviously more than just wanting to call and talk or see if Blake was settling in well. You sound like you're about to cry." He knew that Emily had been seeing someone off and on there in England, and his fist clenched in the thin blanket at the thought that someone had hurt Emily, whether it was emotionally or physically. He hated himself for being so angry and irrational with her after Doyle, and he wouldn't let anyone else do that to her again, even himself.

"I'm just..." Emily started to say, but her voice trailed off and there was quite the pause before she continued, like she was nervous about something or wasn't doing well. It was uncommon for Emily to be nervous, and when she was, it was never this obvious.

"You're just?" Spencer interjected gently. "Just tell me, Emily. I won't be angry." he was worried about her; he had never seen Emily act this way, this strange and shut down, like she was protecting herself from the outside world.

"I just miss you so much." Emily shot out, and Spencer blinked, surprised. Emily missed him too, like he missed her every breathing moment?


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I may just continue this. I know this is like my second long-ish story already so far, and I've got Hurt Me and Thoughts of Mortality as well, but you know, I just have this great plotline for this one rattling around in my head, and my spider doesn't wanna talk about my other stories, so this one it is. Is it odd that I have a spider muse? I dunno. It's not something that just comes up in a nonchalant conversation, you know?**

"I just miss you so much." Emily shot out, and Spencer blinked, surprised. Emily missed him too, like he missed her every breathing moment?

The silence on Spencer's end was brutal, and seemed to wear on and on, and the only reason that she knew he hadn't hung up was because the timer on the screen was still counting her minutes used. Emily chewed her lip, sure that she had just screwed up any chance of ever having him close to her again, let alone having him as a teammate or friend. She fretted with her hands, looking at the phone sitting on the table, flipped open, the only connection between her and the one person who could pull her out of the rapidly worsening spiral down that was taking control of her life as of late.

"You miss me?" Spencer's asked, his tone so quiet that Emily wasn't sure if he was happy or upset; just another reason for her to worry, but this time, the worry wasn't aimed at herself, but at Spencer. The old Reid wouldn't have been so quiet and un-sure; he would've been talking about some statistic about how many people missed someone overseas or would be trying to explain how emotions worked, not being so quiet and just shut down. He seemed so broken, and it crushed Emily to know that she was part of the reason why, let alone the fact that he had just lost the woman that the team seemed to have claimed he was in love with.

"Of course I miss you, Reid." Emily said softly, worried that if she said the wrong thing, she'd lose him, or worse, have him cling to her so she would be forced to watch him fall apart as he gradually came to terms with losing Maeve. Some part of her, the rational part, knew that it ws silly to be jealous of her. She had made Spencer very happy in the time they had been together, and she had no right to be jealous of that. Emily herself had hurt Spencer not only by faking her death, but then leaving fairly soon after the team was able to remeet her after Doyle's threat was eliminated. "I miss you, and Garcia, and the BAU and Quantico, and my old apartment, and the silly conversations on the jet with you and Morgan." She kept her long-living desire to leave Britain and come back to Virginia out, not wanting to seem like she had just got bored and decided to bounce back from one job to the other like a child deciding between ice cream flavors.

Spencer was silent for a moment, and Emily could almost hear the gears grinding in his head, a familiar habit that he got into when he was thinking hard about something. Unsure what he was thinking about, if it was her or the team or who knows what, she chewed her lip again, shaking her head slightly at the thought of how chapped her lips were going to be by the end of the night.

Spencer's voice startled her out of her reverie, almost sounding normal and like his old self. "You know, it's 7 days, 9 hours, and 37 minutes til your birthday, Emily. You could take some leave time, and come down to the States and see us all, get to meet Blake and see how the team is working nowadays." he said, unknowingly voicing the one desire that Emily had kept to herself and Sergio, although she knew he couldn't have told anyone.

"I don't want to intrude. I know you guys have got something really good going with Blake. I know she helped you and Morgan through a lot, and she's done some really good things for Hotch. Garcia told me about how much more he's smiling since she's been around." Emily said quietly, her tightly controlled emotions threatening to break free and spill everything that she had kept to herself for so long. "I don't want her to feel like when I come back, even for a visit, that she'll be threatened."

"I think Blake will understand, Em." Spencer said. "You're an old teammate. If she's got an issue with it, then she's not the mature woman that she's got us all believing she is. Besides, only 19% of workers will come back to a job they left of their own will."

Emily couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think those 81% of people go through life-threatening situations on a regular basis, Reid. Otherwise that statistic would be a little bit more radical. But I'm sure that federal agents and police officers and such are a big part of the 19% that do come back, even if they left willingly." It felt good to resume their usual banter, like she was finally seeing the sun after a long storm and was tired of seeing the rain all day. Sometimes she forgot how much she missed even the little things that got irritating when she saw them long-term, like Spencer and his statistics. It had been one of his habits since she had started at the unit, and she had a feeling it had been a habit longer than she'd been there.  
"Well..." Spencer said, dragging out the word like he wasn't sure of what he had to say, an uncommon behavior for him. "I was kind of hoping that you were going to be part of the 19% that came back." his voice was tiny, like a young child asking for something they're not sure they can actually have. His voice was almost at a whisper level, like he wanted to say it but was worried that if she heard it, she wouldn't react the way he was hoping she would.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Well. This went over better than expected... Thanks for all the love and reviews, guys! My spider is just slurping up the details and spinning her odd little plot webs for me, so we'll see how this chapter goes over... :D**

"Well..." Spencer said, dragging out the word like he wasn't sure of what he had to say, an uncommon behavior for him. "I was kind of hoping that you were going to be part of the 19% that came back." his voice was tiny, like a young child asking for something they're not sure they can actually have. His voice was almost at a whisper level, like he wanted to say it but was worried that if she heard it, she wouldn't react the way he was hoping she would.

"I.." Emily said, startled, and Spencer froze, worried sick about what would finish her sentence. Was he pushing too hard? Too fast? Did she even want to come back? Sure, she had said that she missed them all, but was she just longing for a visit, not her old job back? "I can't guarantee I'll be wanted back, Reid. The team has adjusted to having Blake around, and I'd have to go back through the academy, and even then I may not be added to the BAU. I've been out of the field too long. It would take a lot to get me back to where I was with you guys." her voice was quiet, like she was giving up any hope she had on returning.

"Just try, Em." Spencer said, suddenly emboldened by the intense emotions that were rising to the surface. "Take some leave time from INTERPOL, come down, visit us, maybe try a case or two, and see if you click. We all miss you, even if you don't realize it always. And you worked well with the team from the first day you arrived, so I think it wouldn't take long for them to readjust to having them around. It could be your birthday present to yourself. You said yourself that you missed the team and being here in Quantico, so come visit. It doesn't have to be any longer then you want it to be, even if that's only a weekend or two, but just come visit. Even if nothing comes out of it but a fun few days with old friends, it's not wasted time. It just means that you have more memories to remember us when you're there in England."

There was a long pause on Emily's end, and Spencer hoped that he hadn't said the wrong thing, and that she was sincerely thinking about his suggestion. After a moment, there was a soft chuckle from Emily. "I guess I do have almost a month's worth of leave stacked up." she said softly, and for a moment, there was almost a hint of the old Emily. "I don't do much but work here."

"You don't have to take all of it at once. I mean, if you want to, then go ahead, but don't feel like you have to spend any longer then you want here," Spencer said, suddenly nervous, to the point he was starting to ramble. The thought of seeing Emily again, of having her close again, had his heart racing, both from anxiety and from excitement.

"Reid. I want to." Emily said, gently cutting off his ramble. "I meant what I said about missing you guys. It's been hard here. The work is simpler than it was there, so it's not as much of a challenge, and I don't have much of a life outside the office. It would be nice to come down to Quantico and see you all." Her words stuck hope in Spencer. Maybe after a while back in Quantico, she'd come back, she'd be strong, she'd decide that she didn't want to be in England anymore, and she'd come be a profiler again. He'd missed every little thing about her. Even if she never felt the same for him, which he was sure she didn't, just having her around would be good. It didn't keep him from feeling jealous of Morgan, who was sure to be the agent, if any, that she was falling for. Their mutual love of Kurt Vonnegut and physical fitness made them the perfect match. But if giving her up to Morgan meant that Emily would stay in Quantico, then that would be a sacrifice worth making, in Spencer's world.

"I'll fly in the morning," Emily said, and Spencer realized that she had been talking while he was thinking. He shook his head slightly, amused by how easily he got distracted when it came to Emily. She was hypnotizing, even just in memories.

"Huh? Sorry, I was thinking." Spencer said, and Emily's laugh rang through the phone, making his heart both stop and race faster. Even in her laughter, her character was reflected. It was beautiful and hypnotic, catching everyone's attention and spreading a similar laugh.

"Are you ever not?" Emily teased with a chuckle. "But, as I was saying, I'll call the office tonight, let them know, and then I'll fly early in the morning, so I'll be there by mid-afternoon." Even during the short duration of their phone call, there was this health that seemed to have to returned to Emily.

Spencer nodded, even though he knew that Emily couldn't see him. "Text me with the time for your flight, and I'll pick you up at the airport." he said. "We can surprise the team." At the thought of Garcia's happy squeal, he couldn't suppress a smile.

"Ugh." Emily teased. "Do I need to bring my anti-nausea pills to ride with you driving? Last I remember, you weren't the best driver in the world." Spencer chuckled, remembering the teasing remarks everyone had made on the team about his driving, especially where Hotch teasingly threatened to take away Spencer's license.

"I'll take a cab." Spencer said, smiling. "I'll be the one standing with the big sign 'Welcome Home Emily' with your high school picture taped to it." Garcia's find through the internet was yet to be forgotten or let go of, and it was a common source of amusement for all of the team, especially to tease Emily.

"Oh god." Emily chuckled. "Well, it'll certainly stand out. I'll see you tomorrow, Reid." Spencer's voice caught in his throat at the thought of finally seeing Emily again, of being the one to welcome her home, to be the first one to give her a hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Spencer said. "Bye." he regretted it after he hung up, wishing that he could've kept hearing her voice, kept her on the line until she was finally back in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey guys. Well... That escalated quickly. X) This is definitely going well. I feel it... in my belly. XD Kudos to you if you know which movie's thats from. I'm definitely glad that I'm getting more writing time in, even though it means admitting that my boyfriend is in Bend, and therefore we can't spend as much time together.**

_"I'll see you tomorrow." Spencer said. "Bye." he regretted it after he hung up, wishing that he could've kept hearing her voice, kept her on the line until she was finally back in his arms._

The office, despite the fact that Emily had been doing probably twice the work of the other agents, was quick to give Emily permission to take a long leave. Even as she packed for the weeks back in the States, she couldn't stop her heart from racing, both from excitement and fear. She couldn't wait to get back to Quantico, to see the team again, to see Spencer, to reassure herself that everyone was okay and doing well, to see Henry and Jack, but she was also worried. What if they didn't want her there? What if they were angry with Spencer for bringing her down? What if they shut her out in favor of Blake? What if they just wanted her to leave after a weekend?

Emily sat next to her bag on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands. Was she making the right decision? She had heard the worry that had laced Spencer's voice when she first called, but was she over-exaggerating things in her head? Was he only concerned for her as a friend, and not from a romantic aspect like that foolish part of her kept hoping? Did she even dare to risk harboring that kind of attraction for the young man even after the tragedy that had so recently struck his life?

Was she really falling for Spencer? She had tried for so long to deny it, but there was all of these little things about him that Emily absolutely adored. His messy curls, his excessive explaining of the background behind anything and everything, his laugh, his overdone intelligence that caused him to excel at everything that he chose to do, the way he read 20,000 words a minute. The sensitive, paternal worry that he felt for the entire team that gave Emily the foolish idea that he would be an incredible father someday.

Emily shook her head slightly. "I'm going crazy." she muttered, falling backwards onto her bed so her feet were still off the edge, but her back was against the mattress and she was staring at the ceiling, the patterns of which she'd memorized from long nights spent awake. "I'm falling for the one ex-co-worker that just lost his loved one in a tragic accident. I sound like some kind of whore."

With a sigh, she heaved herself off the bed and grabbed her pajamas out of the drawer that was still standing open and stepped into the bathroom, shedding the stiff work clothes in favor of the baggy grey sweats and the big dark blue academy t-shirt she hung onto. She pulled on the sweats and tied the waist, tugging the t-shirt over her head, washing the makeup off of her face. She dried her face and hands, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

"Like Spencer would ever fall for this." she muttered again, looking at her pale face. "Maeve was probably some slender, busty blonde girl, just like Lila. And God knows that I don't look anything like Lila, so I'm probably not even close to his type." With a sigh, she stepped out of the bathroom and turned off the light. She walked across the hall to her room, moving her bag off the bed and rolling back the blankets and comforter, but paused before getting into bed.

Leaving her room the way it was, she walked out into the living room, habitually making sure the door was locked and the windows as well, then walked to one of the bookshelves. Emily hadn't been much of a picture-taker, but Garcia had managed to scrape together enough photos of herself and the team to create an album, Emily's goodbye gift. Pulling the scrapbook off the shelf, Emily turned off the light and wandered back to her room, sitting cross-legged at the head of her bed and flipping through the album to look at the team pictures. Her mind wandered to the memories behind each of them. Cooking at Rossi's place, with Spencer managing to get spaghetti noodles everywhere, even on Emily. Hotch with a case file open on his head, Morgan with a nerf gun at the office. It brought tears to her eyes, both from laughing so hard at just how ridiculous her team had been and because of the intense longing that she felt to return, to be back where she belonged at the BAU in Quantico. Pictures of JJ when she was pregnant with Henry, Garcia and her brightly colored office, looking for Prince Williams phone number.

Anyone who looked at her team from the outside would see highly skilled, hard-working government agents trying their best to save as many lives as they could. And that was true- they all tried their hardest at their job, and no one wanted to watch an innocent be killed. But there was also this fun-loving side to them that many people outside the team never saw- the tricks, the jokes, the friendly competition that went on day to day, whenever they had a free moment.

And even though she had long since left her team behind in what could be called a lapse of judgement, they were still, and always would be, her team. People had come and gone from the office, temp agents passed through and interns moved on to their own offices, but the main team, the team that was her family, her best friends, stayed the same. Those six other people would always be part of her team, no matter where they went, who they worked with, or what happened. They had started as her team, and when the day came and Emily was finally passing on, they would end as her team.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Argh. Sick. :/ I've been sick for like some three weeks now, and one side of my neck is all swollen and sore, so it hurts to move and I'm taking like tons of advil every day. But, hey, I get to see my boyfriend this weekend. :D**

_Those six other people would always be part of her team, no matter where they went, who they worked with, or what happened. They had started as her team, and when the day came and Emily was finally passing on, they would end as her team._

The night passed uneventfully for Spencer, even though he tossed and turned, making no real effort to fall asleep, his mind still racing a hundred miles an hour, going over every aspect of his conversation with Emily, trying to figure out just what to expect when he picked her up tomorrow at the airport. Silly questions kept coming to mind, which frustrated him to no end, because they were questions he couldn't know the answer to until her saw her the next day.

Did she still look the same? Had she changed her hair, like when she came back from Paris after Doyle's attack? Had she dyed her hair some strange color on an impulse? He had loved every aspect of Emily when she was still working at Quantico and the BAU. Her long dark hair, her sparkling eyes that still managed to be so dark no matter the light, the laugh that so often haunted his memories and caused his heart to ache with loss.

Was she still healthy? He knew that she had been doing quite the workload at the BAU, and despite what she said over the phone about how easy the work there was, he knew that INTERPOL work couldn't be quite as easy on her as she made it sound. He knew the sound of exhaustion well from his own experiences with people who overworked themselves, and Emily definitely sounded like she had been worked to the bone. Had she found time to keep working out and eating healthy like she used to?

Spencer paused for a moment, shaking his head. He didn't need to worry so much about Emily. She could take care of herself, she was an adult, and even if she wasn't taking care of herself, there were people there that were sure to help her out if she needed the didn't need fussed over like she was still just a young child, and even if she came to a point that she did, it wasn't really his job to fuss over her, not anymore.

One thought led to another, and something struck his mind- What if Emily was seeing someone? What if there was some handsome fellow who understood the work requirements, loved Sergio and Kurt Vonnegut, worked out with her everyday, and saw Emily for the beautiful woman she was? He couldn't fight the pang of jealousy that struck his heart. Spencer knew that he had always hidden his feelings for Emily since the very beginning, and he knew that because of that, he shouldn't be jealous if, or when, she started seeing someone. It was hypocritical, seeing that he pushed his feelings for Emily aside and fell for Maeve.

Thinking back, Maeve and Emily didn't look all that different. The same straight dark hair, the same pale skin, the same dark eyes. Sure, there were a lot of ways that the two women were different too, like Maeve's neurological degree and her intense intelligence. Emily's love of Kurt Vonnegut and physical fitness as well as health were also very different from Maeve, although she was still very careful to keep herself as healthy as she could. It wasn't that he had been trying to replace Emily with Maeve; in fact, he had fallen for Maeve as a person and as a mind before he had even known that she looked so much like Emily. That their appearances had been so similar had merely been a coincidence, if an odd one at that.

Their laughs always sounded similar, too. Emily had this rich laugh that was contagious, spreading smiles to everyone around her. Maeve's had been the same way, but softer, more gentle than Emily's boisterous laugh.

Spencer shook his head, almost reluctantly dragging himself out of the memory lane reverie that he had gradually been drifting back down. It had taken him this long to finally move past Emily and find Maeve, and it had hurt to move past Maeve, but everything happened for a reason, and now he was getting the opportunity to re-unite with Emily, which was one of the best things that he could have asked for.

With a sigh, Spencer turned to his alarm clock, grateful that Hotch had been understanding of the fact that he was taking the day off tomorrow, so that he could pick Emily up and make sure to be there on time. Setting the clock for seven, he turned it on. Hearing his phone beep as he received a text, he grabbed the simple flip phone off of the nightstand and flicked it open, seeing that the message was from Emily, most likely containing her flight details.

"Flight picks me up here in Amsterdam at 9 your time, so I should land at 3." Emily had sent, and Spencer couldn't help but smile at the fact that, even through text, Emily still used at least somewhat proper sentence structure, instead of the irritating abbreviations that Garcia and Morgan had started using on a day to day basis.

"Alright. I'll be there to pick you up then. See you soon." Spencer responded, then shut his phone, placing it back in it's old place on the nightstand, doubling checking that his alarm was turned on, and easily turned off his lamp with a touch of a switch, laying down and pulling the covers over his chest, finally managing to turn his brain off for a while and drift to sleep, despite the anxiety and excitement that coursed through his veins at the thought that, soon, very soon, he would be seeing Emily again.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Kay. Have you ever tried to type in those really long nails? Yeah, I got mine done yesterday, and they suck to try and type in. I'll try my best to try and spell-check, but please don't freak if I misspell a word or two because I'm still trying to get used to typing with these. Oh, and I'm getting better. :D My doctor said it was just a bad case of strep. But if I get strep again, I have to consider getting my tonsils taken out, so not so bueno.**

"Alright. I'll be there to pick you up then. See you soon." Spencer responded, then shut his phone, placing it back in it's old place on the nightstand, doubling checking that his alarm was turned on, and easily turned off his lamp with a touch of a switch, laying down and pulling the covers over his chest, finally managing to turn his brain off for a while and drift to sleep, despite the anxiety and excitement that coursed through his veins at the thought that, soon, very soon, he would be seeing Emily again.

Both all too soon and all too early, Emily found herself at the airport, checking in her small bag and looking for her gate. Her heart was racing even as she finally seated herself on the plane, her emotions running wild with the assistance of her mind, which was both encouraging her and worrying her with all of the possible ways that the situation was going to end.

Unable to keep herself busy with the on-board magazines and unable to sleep once the plane had taken off for the US, Emily resorted back to an old habit, scanning the faces around her that she could see, taking in every little thing about them and forming partial profiles. She couldn't get all of the details she would need to form full profiles, but she wasn't trying to follow them home; she was just trying to amuse herself for the five hours worth of plane ride.

At first glance, the man across the row from her strongly resembled Hotch. Dark haired with sharp cheekbones, he was dedicated to his work; he had his tablet out and was working on some sort of powerpoint. The woman in the seat next to her was recently made a single mother, based on the fact that she had a ring imprint on her finger but no ring, and she was working on custody papers of her two children.

Emily shook her head, smirking slightly at the realization that one of the things that she could never forget about working for the BAU was the fact that she would always profile people. It wasn't even an applied skill anymore; it had gotten to a point where now it was a habit, a instinct to look around her and tell herself details about everything and everyone around her, almost like a protective habit. If she knew how people behaved and what their lifestyles were like, she could protect herself and others around her from those people around the world that were actually threats.

That was part of the reason that she had left to INTERPOL; as much as she loved her work at the BAU, they weren't called in until after multiple people had been killed. She was grateful for their hard work that had saved many lives, but Emily wanted more. She wanted to be that agent that was working hard beforehand to prevent those deaths from happening in the first place, that agent that put her heart and soul into the work that would prevent that kind of damage.

And part of her mind, the rational part, told her that it was because she wasn't readjusting to the life there. It had been hard for her to come back from Paris after so long, hard to see her team so hurt and angry with her, Spencer especially. The young man had been so angry with her and JJ, and both of them knew that underneath that anger was a thinly veiled layer where he was hurt that he couldn't be trusted with the truth. Morgan had taken it pretty rough as well; Emily couldn't shake the memory of her best friend insisting that she get herself back into shape so she could protect herself, watching her back and insisting on going everywhere he could with her, like he was scared that she was going to just up and disappear again.

Not soon enough and yet all too soon, the plane landed and Emily was one of the last passengers off, deliberately dragging on her time packing up what little she had, her nerves ramping up as she knew with each second she was just one moment closer to seeing Spencer again, seeing his reaction to seeing her again, hoping that she could keep the feelings for the younger profiler that seemed to just keep getting stronger and stronger.

She took her time with the walk off the unloading bridge, pretending to text someone to stop the odd looks from the flight attendant. However the bridge wasn't long enough to provide much of a delay, and soon Emily found herself at the baggage line. She let her bag go by several times, once again deliberately ignoring it as an excuse to waste time.

Eventually, she set herself with a grim determination and grabbed her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder and heading out to where the other passengers from flights across the world were streaming out to meet friends and family, to catch taxis to all of their different destinations, to go places with no hesitation. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Spencer, wondering if maybe the young profiler had actually put her high school picture on a sign.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she whirled around, tensing for a fight. With a glimpse of familiar curls and dark eyes, she both tensed more and relaxed, grateful that it was a familiar face and terrified of what was to come.

"Welcome home, Emily." Spencer said softly.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Kay. Argh. X) I need to remember not to have so many fics up and running at the same time. I've got Hurt Me, Another Try(this one), For You, and I had Thoughts of Mortality but I discontinued that one. It just hit a dead spot I couldn't dig it back out of. Oh, and whatever One Shot idea that goes flinging through my head on various occasions.**

_"Welcome home, Emily." Spencer said softly._

The night had passed relatively quickly for Spencer, his dreams an odd combination of haunting memories from a time when Emily was still part of the team, and when it seemed just a little more rational for him to develop feelings for her. If there was one thing that Spencer was never expecting, it was that when she moved, his feelings for her would stay as solid as they had been. Sure, he had met Maeve, and yes, he had loved her. But it was different. With Maeve, there was this mental attraction. He loved her mind and the intelligence it carried, and therefore everything else about her became attractive. But Emily... with Emily, Spencer had fallen in love with every aspect about her. When he first laid eyes on her, he fell in love with her beauty, with her grace, with the way she held herself. When he learned more and more about her and discovered the beautiful mind that she kept hidden away, the girl that loved Kurt Vonnegut and physical fitness and spoke almost as many languages as Spencer, he just fell even more in love with her. There was not an aspect about Emily that he didn't love.

If there was one memory that truly haunted him in his dreams, it was the one at Rossi's, only a short while after Emily had returned from her supposed 'death' and subsequent stint in Paris. They had all gathered to the older Italian's home to experience a 'Rossi cooking lesson.' At the time, Spencer had still been hurt and upset about the deception worked by Emily, JJ, and Hotch, and hadn't shown himself until later in the evening. He still remembered the evening in detail, even if that wasn't uncommon for his eidetic memory. He had shown up late and nervously knocked on the door, his anxiety only increasing at Rossi's nonchalant greeting allowing him to enter. He had stepped nervously through the grand oak doors, stepping towards the kitchen, his long hands nervously tucked in his pockets. At the team's evident surprise that he had appeared, Spencer had forced a nervous smile and tucked his long curls behind his ears, a nervous habit that he had kept for some time. Emily was the first person to break from her reverie and smile, her blindingly genuine smile calming Spencer and he smiled, stepping back into the team, finally back where they all belonged.

The morning had passed both quickly and all too slowly, leaving Spencer nervously waiting at the airport, more than an hour early, just on the off chance that Emily's plane would be early. He had only been teasing about the sign; in fact, he was just relying on his vision and Emily's visual observations to find one another. He had brought multiple books to keep himself occupied during the wait, but he couldn't bring himself to focus on the well-loved pages and words. Instead, he found himself nervously scanning the seemingly constant crowd every five minutes, trying to catch a glimpse of Emily's petite brunette figure.

Finally, he caught a glimpse of the beautiful ex-agent that had captured his heart. Stepping quickly, Spencer found his way through the crowd and gently put a hand on her shoulder, catching her attention. As she spun around to face him, he watched her muscles tense and then relax, much like his own did at the first breath of her perfume, a scent that he had long missed.

"Welcome home, Emily." Spencer said softly. She seemed to sit and stare at him for a moment before her face relaxed into a smile and she crushed the slender agent in a hug. Stunned, Spencer's mind reeled at the sudden contact before he smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks for picking me up, Spence." Emily said when they finally parted, the slightest hint of a blush coloring her cheeks. The use of his well-loved nickname caused his heart to skip a beat as she settled into the routine they'd been running for so long. Sometimes it took having her back to cause Spencer to realize how much he had missed her in the first place.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey lovelies. I've got lots and lots of new updates, since the only other thing I'm doing nowadays is unpacking.. So, writing it is!**

_Sometimes it took having her back to cause Spencer to realize how much he had missed her in the first place._

Emily couldn't fight the blush that was staining her cheeks at the sight of the lanky genius who never failed to steal her breath away. The curls she had missed, the dark brown eyes, the subtle toning of muscle that decorated his , she realized they were just standing there, his arms still wrapped around her waist as she looked up at him, lost in memories and the dark colors dancing in his eyes, as if she could see some hope of a touch of the same emotions that rushed through her. Her cheeks blushed a brighter red and she pulled completely out of his embrace, instantly missing his comforting touch as she picked up her bag.

Spencer chuckled, his laugh stirring a fluttering feeling all through her. "I've got your bag, Em." he said, gently pulling it off her shoulder and putting it in the trunk of his old car. She couldn't help but watch the muscles in his back shift and move as he opened the trunk, everything about the young man hypnotizing. She leaned back against the car, closing her eyes as she tried to get herself under control. He hadn't given her any reason to believe that he wanted to be anything but friends, but her overactive imagination gave her no choice but to wish for more.

When she stood up with a sigh and opened her eyes, she bumped into the surprisingly solid chest of the young genius. Spencer chuckled. "I thought I was going to have to wake you up. You looked so content." he said, but his voice seemed to be huskier than usual. Suddenly aware of her position, stuck between Spencer and the car, his face millimeters away from hers, Emily couldn't fight as her imagination kicked into overdrive, thinking of all of the different ways this could go. Would he kiss her? Would he just pull away and help her into the car? Should she kiss him? Millions of questions flooded her brain, trying to drown out the rational part of her mind that was telling her that she should be pulling away, should be escaping the current situation.

Spencer gently tucked the piece of her hair blowing in her face behind her ear, pulling away with a sigh that Emily hoped wasn't just in her imagination. "We should get going. I'm sure the others will be very excited to see you again." He gently took Emily's hand, pulling her away from the car so that he could open her door for her.

With a smile and a teasing curtsey, Emily swung her long legs into the passenger's seat, taking the time as Spencer shut her door and walked around to the driver's side to take a deep breath, getting herself together both to shut down her overactive imagination that was trying to create tension between her and Spencer as well as calm the swarm of butterflies that were dancing in her stomach at the thought of once again seeing her old team, as well as meeting the infamous Alex Blake who had taken her place.

As she heard the sound of Spencer's door opening and closing, she opened her eyes, turning to smile at her close friend. "So, what's the plan?" she asked, hoping to get at least a little better understanding of just how hectic her day was going to be.

"I figured that we'd head towards my apartment and drop off your stuff, let you unpack and have a little time to settle in so that you could be a little bit more relaxed before we throw you to the sharks, AKA Garcia." Spencer said with a chuckle. "That is, if you're alright staying at my place. I've got a pretty nice guest room that barely ever gets used, and I figured it'd be more comfortable than staying in a hotel."

Despite the pounding in her heart at the thought of sharing an apartment with Spencer, Emily nodded with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Spence. That would probably be much more comfortable than staying in the little hotel I was going to crash at, and that'll give me the time to change into some less travel wrinkled clothes."


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: I'm officially on facebook... find me under Stormofimagination Fanfiction!**

_Despite the pounding in her heart at the thought of sharing an apartment with Spencer, Emily nodded with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Spence. That would probably be much more comfortable than staying in the little hotel I was going to crash at, and that'll give me the time to change into some less travel wrinkled clothes."_

The sight of Emily wrapped in his arms, seemingly content to look up at him, was a sight that Spencer wanted to see every day. He found himself losing track of time as he looked into her dark eyes, and for a moment, he thought he saw a reflection of his own emotions, his own attraction to the beautiful brunette in his arms, flash through her eyes. But just as he thought one of them would make a move, she pulled away, her cheeks a gorgeous shade of red. But even though he instantly ached at the lack of contact, he was distracted by her stunning figure as she bent over to swing her bag over her shoulder, watching as she flawlessly moved with an effortless grace that could only be Emily.

Shaking himself from his reverie and reminding himself of the gentleman he was raised to be, he chuckled, more at himself than at Emily, he leaned over and pulled the strap of her bag off her shoulder, taking it from her. "I've got your bag, Em," he said kindly, opening his trunk and storing it away.

When he turned back from his trunk, Emily was leaning against the side of his car, her head against the roof, her face so content that Spencer's heart ached, wishing that he could see her that relaxed every day of his life. He couldn't tear his eyes away as they traveled down her figure, categorizing the way every muscle in her body moved, the way she favored her right side, the fact that she had lost weight since the last time he had seen her, exactly 94 days ago. For once completely unable to control himself, Spencer found himself stepping closer to Emily, aching for contact once more.

Even as he moved closer to the girl who has held his heart for the last six years, she jerked up as if something had startled her, causing her to slam forward into his chest, a tiny sigh escaping her lips, like she had no desire to move from her previous position. In an instant, the breath was knocked out of his chest: both from the impact to his chest and from his sudden proximity to the older agent, her curves seeming to mold to him perfectly. He chuckled as the shock and than embarrassment played across Emily's face. "I thought I was going to have to wake you up. You looked so content." He was painfully aware of the husky tone to his voice, and he hoped that Emily wouldn't notice, not wanting to scare her away from him before he even had a chance.

He was painfully aware of the lack of space between the two of them, his face only millimeters away from Emily's. He ached to lean forward and kiss her, claim her, steal her away from the world that seemed to cause her so much pain, bring her back to Quantico, to the BAU, to the people that really mattered. She herself had said that she wasn't doing as well in London as she liked, and wished that she could come back. Shaking his head ever so slightly, he pulled away from the embrace, wishing nothing more than to stay close. With a sigh, he gently grasped Emily's hand and pulled her away from the car to stand next to him, allowing him to open the car door for her. "We should get going. I'm sure the others will be very excited to see you again.."

Emily smiled, the genuine gesture warming Spencer's heart even as she teasingly curtseyed, an obvious remark on the gentlemanly behavior he worked so hard to display. She swung into the car, and it took every ounce of control not watch the way her long legs moved. He shut her door, shaking his head at his own antics. Three months. She was gone for three months and all of the sudden he couldn't keep himself away from her. He worked with Emily for years, and now, she returns for a visit and he can't tear his eyes off her.

As he opened his own door and climbed into the car, he saw Emily's eyes flutter open and turn to look at him, feeling the warmth of her smile before he ever saw it. When he shut his door and turned to look at her once more, her eyes were shockingly unsheltered, and he saw the emotions flooding her system, the tension, worry, concern,and what he hoped was affection. Suddenly, he saw physically and emotionally as her walls went back up. "So, what's the plan?" She asked, trying to draw attention away from herself.

"I figured that we'd head towards my apartment and drop off your stuff, let you unpack and have a little time to settle in so that you could be a little bit more relaxed before we throw you to the sharks, AKA Garcia." Spencer said, chuckling at the thought of the perky Technical Analyst. "That is, if you're alright staying at my place. I've got a pretty nice guest room that barely ever gets used, and I figured it'd be more comfortable than staying in a hotel." His heart was racing at the thought of getting up in the morning and seeing Emily relaxed, more like herself than anyone else would see her.

Worried that she would just reject him and wound their friendship, Spencer was grateful for the blindingly genuine smile and nod from Emily. "Thanks, Spence. That would probably be much more comfortable than staying in the little hotel I was going to crash at, and that'll give me the time to change into some less travel wrinkled clothes." Despite the urge to tell her that she looked good no matter what she wore, Spencer nodded and started the car, heading towards his apartment.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews and followers, guys!It makes my morning/day when my gmail is blown up. c**:

_Despite the urge to tell her that she looked good no matter what she wore, Spencer nodded and started the car, heading towards his apartment._

As Emily set her things in the dresser in Spencer's guest room, she was grateful for the fact that he had such incredible taste. The room was a dark blue, with dark walnut flooring and furniture, including a set of bookshelves, covered with older books and an attached bathroom. The bed had a matching blue comforter and sheets set, and the curtains were white to offset the otherwise dark colors in the room.

As she put away the last of her clothes, Emily looked between her two outfits with a sigh, still unable to decide. On one hand, she had dark skinny jeans and a purple v-neck, and on the other, a charcoal grey skirt and a dark red top. She knew that her team would, hopefully, accept her no matter what she wore, but she couldn't help but feel that what she wore would make difference.

"Jeans." Spencer's soft voice said from the doorway, and Emily tensed as she spun around, her hand instinctually flying to her gun before she registered who it was and relaxed.

"Are you trying to give me fashion advice, Dr. Reid?" Emily teased, well aware that the genius never matched his socks and wore vests nearly everyday, despite the fact it was now 2013.

Spencer blushed. "N..No, I was trying to give you my honest opinion." he said, stuttering in a way that Emily couldn't help but find adorable. "Most women prefer men to be honest, if they want their opinions at all."

Emily chuckled. "I know, Spence. I was planning on wearing the jeans anyway." she said, folding the skirt and top and putting them back in the drawer. "You have great taste, by the way. This room is incredible."

Spencer chuckled. "I can't claim that. Garcia helped me with it when I moved in." he said. "she said that 'I didn't need my guests staying in the same dysfunctional decoration that I did.'" Emily full out laughed, smiling as she folded her jeans and top over her arm.

"Why does that not surprise me." Emily said, shaking her head. "I'll be ready in about ten, so I'll meet you downstairs." she said, barely suppressing the urge to lean over and kiss his cheek as she walked to the bathroom, shutting the door. Once she heard him leave and go back down the stairs, Emily changed quickly, taking a few minutes to brush up her makeup, dusting her eyes with a subtle gold shimmer and some eyeliner before touching up her mascara and lipstick.

Stepping into flats, she went downstairs, smiling at Spencer. "You ready?" she asked, her gun holster clipped to her belt.

Spencer nodded. "You look great." he said, smiling at the blush that stained her cheek. "The team just got off a case, so they'll be at the office late tonight."

Emily nodded and smiled, hoping it didn't betray the butterflies dancing in her stomach at the thought of seeing her old team again.


End file.
